Statement made on 24 March 2009 by Senator Sharon Carstairs (retired)
Hon. Sharon Carstairs:
Honourable senators, my question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate. It is related to the universal periodic review of Canada before the United Nations Human Rights Council, which began earlier this year.
I was particularly concerned by the number of countries that raised their dismay at the failure of Canada to endorse the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Norway, Denmark, Austria and the United Kingdom have all urged Canada to change its position.
These countries have done their homework. For example, Denmark even knew that there was a motion passed in the House of Commons endorsing the declaration. We know that a number of Canadian legislative initiatives have been ignored by this government. Will the government now recognize that this is an embarrassment internationally and do the right thing and support the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples?
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